Author
Topic: Stealth recording and metal detectors (Read 4919 times)

I know no one wants to talk about this but i had an interesting situation recently. i don't go to many big indoor shows anymore. i went to one recently where they were wanding people. i had an edirol r9, core batt box and dpa 4061s. i knew the core box would probably trigger the wand so i had it in my hand. i had the mics in a ziplock in one pocket with keys and the r9 in another pocket with a flip phone. the keys and flip phone set it off, i took them out. the wand kept going off. turns out the dpa mics and the r9 triggered it. one by one i pulled everything out and kept them in my hands. the guard didn't notice so i got everything in. my profession requires me to go thru metal detectors and wands all the time. i usually leave everything in pockets just to see what sets these things off. sometimes nothing goes off and sometimes it does. good thing most shows i go to i can bring in and do what i want. but i might have to rethink big shows.

can't they calibrate how sensitive they want the wands/detectors to be?

Yes, sometimes they will go off over nothing, sometimes you could have a large metal object and they won't detect it. Furthermore, sometimes the people running them don't know what they are doing with them. Sometimes the operators are getting paid $8/hr and simply wave them up and down people moving through the line and do nothing as they go off. Basically, you just never know if they will sound or not.

You have to use the best tricks you have to make it through the Spokane Arena metal detectors. Since I'm done with this stuff I'll relate a situation we encountered last year. Made it through many venues in the PNW without a problem. Spokane Arena ding me twice with well placed items I've used over the years. My daughter's purse was handed to the person working the metal detector and they handed it back to her--on the other side. It didn't even go through the detector. For all we know she could have had a pistol in there--and there might be one in there most of the time.

Logged

A lot of people run a race to see who is the fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more.

My daughter's purse was handed to the person working the metal detector and they handed it back to her--on the other side. It didn't even go through the detector.

I've been to shows where they closely checked every purse - and that was it. I had a videocam inside each inner coat pocket and a full audio rig in one of the outside pockets. I had no worries though, because they weren't checking anything but purses. I was kind of shocked that none of the women questioned this arrangement (at least, I haven't ever seen them do it).

My daughter's purse was handed to the person working the metal detector and they handed it back to her--on the other side. It didn't even go through the detector.

I've been to shows where they closely checked every purse - and that was it. I had a videocam inside each inner coat pocket and a full audio rig in one of the outside pockets. I had no worries though, because they weren't checking anything but purses. I was kind of shocked that none of the women questioned this arrangement (at least, I haven't ever seen them do it).

Last year at a Live Nation shed in town, they allowed food and water. They rifled my GF's pocketbook, but didn't even want to look in the food/bev bag. Even when she held it open for them

All this is very rare to UK tapers. I've gone to scores of gigs a year for over 40 years, and only been searched once. During the IRA bombing campaign in London in 1991. Put my gear in my daughter's bag. Guy spotted it, but was only interested in whether it was Semtex or not. Never been challenged for taping, although oddly a few times for using a (proper) camera, while surrounded by iPhoners waving their devices around. The only time I've had a request to tape turned down was last year by a US artist. One well-known Scottish singer did ask WHY?, but more because he couldn't understand anyone wanting to listen again. Afterwards, he came up with the setlist and annotated a few changes he'd made, just to make sure I got it right. I love this hobby.

All this is very rare to UK tapers. I've gone to scores of gigs a year for over 40 years, and only been searched once. During the IRA bombing campaign in London in 1991. Put my gear in my daughter's bag. Guy spotted it, but was only interested in whether it was Semtex or not. Never been challenged for taping, although oddly a few times for using a (proper) camera, while surrounded by iPhoners waving their devices around. The only time I've had a request to tape turned down was last year by a US artist. One well-known Scottish singer did ask WHY?, but more because he couldn't understand anyone wanting to listen again. Afterwards, he came up with the setlist and annotated a few changes he'd made, just to make sure I got it right. I love this hobby.

I taped at a show at a prestigious London venue - albeit one probably more used to classical performances. I was in a rush, I didn't even bother to secrete my kit as per normal procedure. Tried the 'this is what you're looking at' trick, foiled by a quick shake of my bag and the security guy clocking that I had other things in there. Had to take them out, bit by bit, and I was asked what they were. I summoned up all my imagination, and my legendary gift of the gab, and stammered "Err, it's, um, my recording gear".